Amphion floridensis
| Nessus sphinx | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Sphingidae |
| Genus: | Amphion |
| Species: | A. floridensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Amphion floridensis B.P. Clark, 1920[1] | |
| Synonyms | |
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The Nessus Sphinx (Amphion floridensis) is a day-flying moth of the Sphingidae family. It lives throughout the eastern United States and Canada and occasionally down into Mexico, and is one of the more commonly encountered day-flying moths in the region, easily recognized by the two bright yellow bands across the abdomen.
Description
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Amphion floridensis ♂
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Amphion floridensis ♂ △
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Amphion floridensis ♀
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Amphion floridensis ♀ △
Biology
Adults are on wing April to July in one generation in the north and in two generations in the south.[3] The adults feed on the nectar of various flowers, including Syringa vulgaris, Geranium robertianum, Kolkwitzia amabilis, Philadelphus coronarius, and Phlox.
The larvae feed on Vitis, Ampelopsis and Capsicum species.[4]
Taxonomy
It was first described as Sphinx nessus by Pieter Cramer in 1777. This name was invalid, because Dru Drury had already used it for another species (Theretra nessus) in 1773. A replacement name was published in Benjamin Preston Clark in 1920.
Images
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Flying on a lilac
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Side view
References
- ↑ "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Archived from the original on 2012-11-08. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
- ↑ "Silkmoths". Silkmoths.bizland.com. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
- ↑ "Bug Guide". Bug Guide. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
- ↑ "Butterflies and Moths of North America". Butterfliesandmoths.org. Retrieved 2011-10-26.